Process of making radiator-cores.



RENEWED IULY 25.1916.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. lI

Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

El ot/014144 4 H RBERT cnnmmon HARRISON, or LOCKPORT, NEW YORK.

rnocnssor MAKING RADIATOR-CORES.

a ne aen uea December 1,

To all whom it ma concern:

Be itknown t "at I, HERBERT C. HARRI- soN, a sub ec t of t e King of Great Britain, residing at Lockport, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 'in Processes of Making Radiator-Cores; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a process of making radiators, and has for its object to provide .a simple and more eflicient'means of making radiators as well as a better radiator for the same cost, than has been heretofore proposed.

With these and other objects in view, the

invention consists in the novel combinations of steps constituting my process, all as will be more fully hereinafter disclosedand' par ticularly pointed out in the claims. Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which like numerals designate like' parts'g in all the views- I Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view partly in section of. a radiator made from sheet metal strips in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic detail sectional view of one form of my invention showing the construction and assemblage of the plates constituting a radiator unit; I

Fig. 3 is a similar viewshowing in detail the construction of one form of division plate used in my radiator units;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating another form of division plate and of radiator units;

Fig. 5 is an edge view looking down upon a still further modified form of division plate;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Flg. 5 showing a further modified form of outer plates for radiator units;

Fig. 7 shows the .division plate of Fig. 5

in section and the outer plate of Fig. 6 brought in contact therewith.

Fig. 8 shows the parts of a'radiator unit of theforms assembled when said parts are shown in Figs. 5 and 6;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic plan view show.- ing the offset edges of the outer plates of several units to form a water passage; and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

1914, serial no. 876,687. Renewed July 25, 1916. Serial 110'. 111,280.

. VlSlOIl means.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates of example three of the usual radiator frame inclosing the water space 2 at the top and the space 3 at the bottom from which water is delivered. Between the spaces 2 and 3,is located the nest of air cells 4, which as is well known may be say about 24 inches high and wide, and say about 2 inches thick. In other words thecubic space available in modern automobiles for the accommodation of radiators is exceedinglylimitedso that the cooling efiiciency of the radiator must be high if satisfaction is to be had. Further competition is severe from a commercial point of view, and therefore the manufacturer is met with the exacting conditions of making a, highly efiicient and a comparatively inexpensive radiator, as Well as inclosing it ina very inconvenient space.

The purpose of this invention is to meet the above requirements, and in carrying it out I provide a double row of' opposing air cells 5, separated by a single plate 6,"as in my former Patent Number 1076115, dated October 21, 1913, entitled Radiator cell structures.

posed of the divislon plate numbered 8 in said patent and of the side plates there numbered 1 and 5. Water passages numbered 22 in the patent pass down between the radiator units thus formed and the water thus imparts heat to the air in the double row of opposed cells formed by the said plates 1, 5

In my saidpatent, a radiator unit is com Fig. 2 for example, from the division plate 6 and the two outer or side plates 8 and 9,

bered 2 and 6 into the spaces between the ears there numbered 10, is a more or less expensive operation, in that it must be done by hand, and in carrying out said operation,

the side plates of the unit such as those num-' bered 1 and 5 in the patent are apt to be bent out of shape. It results from this that in the making of ten thousand radiators,

for example, not only is a great deal of time lost, but also a great deal of extra money is actually expended, both of which greatly adds to the final cost of the radi ators.

In the present invention, on the other hand, I avoid these objections by providing guiding inclined centering or cam surfaces such as 12 on the division plate 6, as will be clear'from Figs. 2 and 3, so that when a projecting angle such as 13 in the process I of assembling strikes between a pair of 85 guide surfaces 12, it will upon pressing the two plates 6 and 8 or the two plates 6 and i 9' together, cause all three plates to be accurately centered. I

This assembling feature of my invention is' very important and in order to render it more clear the modified form of construction illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, and

the method of assembling the parts will now be disclosed. In Fig. 5, a division plate 20provided with the inclined guiding, or centerlng surfaces 21 and projecting an- .gles or points 22 is shown. In Fig. 6, is shown an outer plate 23 of a radiator unit,

which may be substantially the same. 'as one of the outer plates in m Patent Number 1,076,115, above mentione Now, as the outer plate 23, comes from the machine it may be sup orted in any suitable manner andthe division plate20 thrust against it either by hand or 'by machine as said plate [is delivered from the machine which is makmg it. A convenient way to accomplish A the assemblage of the two plates is to merely lay the outer plate 23 flat on-its side and feed or dro the plate'20 on top of 'it. Then owing to t 'e centeringsurfaces 21, of the plate 20, no matter where the fins 24 of the plate 23 may contact with the surfaces 23, a little pressure-on the plate 20, or aslight clamping action between the two plates will cause them to become accurately centered as shown in Fig. 7, and the heretofore loss in time and money avoided.

Having thus, automatically, so to-speak, centered the plates 20 and 23, it is only necessary to drop a second outside plate such as 25 on top of or press said plate 25 against the other side of said division plate 20 whereupon the three plates 20, 23 and 25 will be automatically centered as indicated in Fig. 8.

It will thus be seen that by the simple expedient of providing the division plate 20, with the oppositely projecting centering surfaces 21 and 26, and by providing the outer plates 23 and 25 with the projecting fins 24 and 27 respectively, it is only necessary to lay the plate 20 on top of'the plate 23, to then lay the plate 25 on top of the plate 20, and to then press the parts together in order to cause all three plates to become accurately centered for the formation of a. radiator unit. 7

These units I have designated in Fig. 9 by the numeral 30, and when they are placed together the form the water passages 10 by reason 0 the fact that the outer plates such as'23 and 25 have their extreme edges offset as indicated at 31 in Fig. 9, and these ofl'set edges abut to form the said water passages, While the extreme top ends or edges of the plates 23, and 25 are folded over toward each other to close the space above the double row of opposing cells 5 as will be readily understood.

When a plurality of radiator units such as 30 are thus built up, their individual plates being automatically centered as above disclosed, the whole set of units are clamped tglgether by any convenient means, and their o set ends 31 are, dipped in solder so as to firmly secure the parts together.

After one edge of the nest of cells thus formed is thus soldered together, the entire nest or radiator body is reversed and the other'edge dipped in solder, whereupon the radiator is ready for testing as to leaks, etc.

It will now be clear that precisely the same series of steps are or may be followed in connection with the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2. In other words, it will be clear that one unit late such as 8 may be laid upon its side, a ivision plate such as place, another outer unit plate 9 may be placed on top of the division plate 6, whereupon a shght ressure and movement of the parts longitu mally will cause an accurate as 11 having the centering of the three plates to take place, as is indicated in Fig. 2. Another outer plate such as 35 may now be laid upon the outer plate. 9, whereupon the offset ends such as 31 of the two outer plates 9 and 35 will form a water passage such as 10, and the above process may be repeated until a complete radiator body or nest of cells is had. It will thus be seen that practically no extra. labor is required to center the plates such as 6, 8 and 9, etc., and that absolutely no skill whatever is required, because the centering of the parts in each unit takes place automatically, after the plates are brought into contact.

The division plates such as 6 and 20 are conveniently formed by subjecting thin ribbons of metal to the action of suitable dies which cut out and press out on opposite sides of their respective plates any suitable inclined centering projections such as 12 and 21, as will be clear from Figs. 3, 5 and 10 of the drawings.

In the modified form of construction shown in Fig. 4, the same process is carried out and the parts are of substantially the same construction as those just disclosed, but their form is varied in order to produce unobstructed hexagonal cells instead of cells of the shape disclosed, in the other figures.

That is to say in Fig. 4, an outer unit plate such as 40 is given the shape disclosed by any suitable means, a division plate such centering projections 42 is laid upon the plate 40, whereupon its centering projections cause the said plate 41 to be automatically centered, and a second outer unit plate 43 is laid upon the division plate 41, whereupon the centerin projections 44 cause said plate 43 to also. fie centered, and the radiator unit thus formed is associated with a similar unit, whereupon the offset edges such as 31 carried on the outside. of each outer plate causes the units to be separated from each other and water passages such as 10 to be formed between the units. A suflicient number of units are assembled, clamped together and their ofi'setends are dipped in solder in the manig r disclosed above, whereupon a complete nest of opposing cells is finished.

It will now be clear constructing sheet metal ing a double row of opposed air cells is applicable to a Wide variety of forms of cells; but that in all cases it involves the forming of a pair of outer radiator unit plates each provided with cell walls projecting from one side thereof such for example as the inclined walls 50 in Fig. 2, the plaits or fins 24 in Fig. 7, and the inclined walls 51 in Fig. 4'.-

Said process further comprises the forming of inclined guiding or centering projecthat my process of radiator units hav tions preferably located on the opposite sides of the division plates, to coact with the opposed projecting walls on the side plates, in order to automatically center the parts when pressure is applied. Such oppositely disposed inclined centering'projections are numbered 12 in Fig. 3, and numbered 21 in Figs. 5 and 10, but of course other forms of centering projections could be employed if desired.

The process also comprises the bringing of the projecting cell walls such as 50, 51 or 24, into contact with centering projections such as those disclosed, and thereupon, applying pressure and a movement lengthwise of the plates to cause the parts to automatically find their final accurately centere'd positions. And the process finally comprises the holding of the parts in said final positions while they are suitably secured together. Of course, a plurality of units in almost every instance must be brought together with suitable water passages between them. and therefore the practicable process for automobile radiators also comprises the assemblage of a plurality of units, and the separation of said units to form the desired water passages before fixing the parts firmly in position. A convenient way of accomplishing this final step is by providing the offset edges 31 on the outer unit plates, so that a plate 25 for example on one side of a unit may contact with a plate 23, on the other side of an adjacent unit during the continuous formation of a plurality of units, and thereby avoid stopping the process after each unit is assembled.

In fact, a convenient method of making a whole radiator section is to merely throw the various plates, such as 23, 20 and 25 in their proper sequence into a box or jig of the proper dimensions, and when the proper number of plates have been thus assembled give them a few shakes and apply a clamping pressure whereupon the members of a whole radiator section comprising a plurality of units separated by water passages will be found to be accurately centered and ready to have their "edges immediately dipped in solder and the section thus finished ready for testing.

It will further be noticed that my radiator units differ in construction from those disclosed in my former patent, among other features, in that the division plates such as 6, 20 and 41, of necessity are provided with enlarged holes formed by punching out their respective guide surfaces 12, 21 and 42, so that air can freely circulate from one row of cells through the division plate to the 0pposed row of cells. Further, since cooling air is usually forced through the cells under pressure, more or less of it strikes against the edges of these centering projections and coact with inclined cell walls like 50 and 51 to center the parts. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the above disclosure except as may be required by the claims.

\Vhat I claim is 1. The method of constructing sheet metal radiator units which consists in forming a pair of outer unit plates having projections on one side thereof constituting cell walls; forming an intermediate divisionplate having centering projections on each side thereof, one of said plates being provided with inclined guiding surfaces associated with its projections; bringing said plates into contact with each other and applying pressure to cause the projections of the one plate to be guided by the inclined surfaces of the other plate into their centered positions; and securing the parts in the positions thus reached, substantially as described.

2. The process of making a radiator unit which consists in providingan outer unit plate having cell walls pro ecting from one side thereof; laying said outer plate on its side with said walls uppermost; feeding on top of said plate, a division plate having inclined centering projections on both sides thereof; feeding on top of said division plate a second outer unit plate having cell walls projecting from the lower side thereof; applying pressure transversely and longitudinally of said plates to cause the parts to become accurately centered; and fixing said parts in the centered positions thus attained, substantially as described.

3. The method of constructing sheet metal radiator sections, which consists in forming a pair of outer unit plates having offset edges and provided with cell walls projecting from one side thereof; forming a division 'plate having inclined centering projections on both sides thereof; bringing said plates into contact with each other with saiddivision plate between said projecting cell walls, to assemble the parts of a radiator unit; bringing a plurality of units with the offset edges of said outer plates into contact with each other, to provide water passages between said units; applying pressure perpendicular to and longitudinally of said plates to cause the parts to center themselves and securing the partsin their centered relations, substantially as described 4. The method of constructing sheet metal radiator units which consists in forming a pair of outer unit plates provided with oppositely extending projections constituting cell walls, forming intermediate division means provided with centering projections and inclined guiding surfaces adapted to separate said first named projections; automatically bringing said plates and means into their final positions by applying pressure thereto; and securing the parts in said positions, substantially as described.

5. The method of constructing a sheet metal radiator section having water passages which consist in forming a pair of radiator units, each comprising a pair of outer unit plates having ofi'set edges provided with contering projections and guiding surfaces, causing the offset edges of the one unit to contact with the offset edges of the other unit, to form said passage; applying pre sure to the two units to cause the centering projections of the one unit to coact with the inclined surfaces of the other unit, thereby automatically centering the parts; and securing said parts in the positions thus attained. substantially as described.

6. The method of constructing a sheet metal radiator unit which consists in providing av pair of outer plates each having projections and inclined surfaces on each side of said projections; also providing a division means located between said plates and provided with centering projections and guiding surfaces; causing said plates and division means to contact; applying pressure to cause the parts to become automatically centered; and securing the parts in their centered positions, substantially as described.

7. The method of making sheet metal radiator cores composed of radiator units and sections which consists. in forming a pair of plates for each unit with ofi'set edges having centering projections and guiding surfaces between adj: *ent units; providing separating means comprising coacting centering projections and guiding surfaces between the plates in each unit; piling said unit plates one on top of the other with said separating means between each successive pair of plates to form said units and sections; applying pressure to said piled plates to center the parts; and securing said centered parts together, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT CHAMPION HARRISON- Witnesses:

DAVID Tic-n, VERNA C. ECKHARDT. 

